Most games feature protagonists who can easily be classified as heroes. For example, Mario and Sonic are the heroes of classic video games. Then there are games where the players are the villains, like Crypto Destroy all peopleor anti-heroes like Wario v Wario Land: Shake It.
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There are also plenty of games that offer players a dynamic choice of how they want to play their character, whether they have fully created and customized it or not. There are many options in today's games, but let's go through which ones offer players the option of either be a hero or a villainand how it can change how these games work. Is it worth replaying them to see all sides?
Undertale
Pacifist or murderer
Fans of turn-based RPGs are programmed to go on campaigns and fight monsters without question. Undertale is a game that subverts these RPG expectations by giving players a choice. If he spares the monsters in battle by talking them out of their enmity, then they simply leave. This works for bosses too.
The best ending in Undertale is a pacifist path, but players can also be anarchists and kill everyone and everything, and that leads to some dark messages. This is known as the genocide route, and while it's still related to the plot (in some truly shocking ways), killing every character in the game, even the cute ones, is hard to stomach.
Baldur's Gate 3
Dungeons & Devils
Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that invites players to play it again and again because the number of branching stories is practically unlimited. Players can be classics Dungeons & Dragons hero and let morality take over by trying to find the least bloody solution possible. That's usually how the first playthrough goes.
Alternatively, players can feel like a dark lord while training and find the bloodiest path through conflicts, making some party members more loyal, such as Astarion, while others separate from the group entirely. The starting area is a good testing ground, and anyone who wants to play a worse character can get better results playing as a Drow.
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
The Dark Side of the Force
There are many of them Star Wars games that offer players a choice between good and evil, incl Star Wars: Battlefront 2. The most robust example still has to be Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, albeit an epic RPG from BioWare with many branching options.
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Players start out as unknown amnesiacs and can pretend to be a Virtuous Jedi or a Dark Jedi through dialogue. One path will seem more canonical than the other after the big plot twist in the third act, but that's no need to spoil it, because decades later it's still one of the best recommendations for RPG fans and Star Wars fans as well.
Fallout: New Vegas
Karma chameleon
Fallout: New Vegas it has a karma system where good and bad deeds are recorded. Perform lots of virtuous deeds and the NPCs will respond accordingly, while a violent outlaw will make them refuse service or flee outright. Players can also ally with different factions, from hermits posing as Elvis impersonators to Roman cosplayers, and each faction has its own intentions for how the Nevada desert should function.
The New Vegas area is full of opportunities for players to be a savior among the scum, or they can be lawless and think only of their own survival. It is generally considered one of the best Fallout games of all time and the Karma system is a good example of why fans dig it so much.
inglorious
A shocking development
inglorious is an original superhero game where the protagonist, Cole MacGrath, gains lightning-based powers after an explosion decimates Empire City. Players can make good or bad decisions during main missions to move the karmic needle, and once they align with a specific party, they'll start unlocking exclusive good and bad powers. Cole's lightning bolts change color as well; blue for good and red for evil.
Players can also earn good and bad karma points by treating citizens kindly or cruelly to help build their character as they explore the city. Granted, this is one game where it pays to be badass because the powers are more destructive and engaging to play with, but being the hero is better suited to the story, so it's up to the player what their priorities are.
DC Universe Online
Batman vs Joker
DC Universe Online is the official DC superhero game and long-running MMO. It's free to play and players can create a hero or villain and team up with famous DC characters like Batman or the Joker and then go on missions as them.
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Players can choose different abilities or gadgets that define their play style and build their character over time to possibly surpass official DC heroes or villains. DC Universe Online it's been around for over a decade, which means there's plenty of content to experience, both good and bad. There's never been a better time to check it out, especially with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions just dropping in 2024.
Disney Epic Mickey
Lousy mouse
Disney Epic Mickey
6/10
- Released
-
November 25, 2010
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone // Cartoon violence
Disney Epic Mickey is one of the most ambitious Mickey Mouse-starring games out there, even if it got diluted a bit during development. There is still a karma system as Mickey can be a hero by helping his fellow cartoons or become more of a villain. Players can perform karmic atonement using thinner to erase characters and items, or they can use their magic brush to restore everyone and everything to normal.
Originally, the choice would have led Mickey to become more ruthless and unhinged, which would have been cooler, but Disney Epic Mickeyas it stands now, it's still something worth experiencing to see a slightly darker side to the big-eared hero. Plus, a remaster is now available, making it easier than ever to jump in.
Vampire
Hungry heroes
Vampire is another game where it's hard to resist evil simply because the powers are so good. Players start as a doctor who turns into a vampire. They then have to decide if they want to lean in and become a blood devil or continue helping people as doctors.
Players can build relationships with characters to increase their potential. Players can then turn these budding relationships into snacks to gain more EXP, which is a cruel way to treat people like they're cattle, but still an effective strategy for leveling up. Alternatively, they can stay pure, refuse to feed off the game's NPCs, and unlock the “good” ending. It all depends on how deeply he thinks this well-meaning doctor will succumb to the vampire's curse.
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